d his
displeasure on the door-mat.

After a short time Ada rose to leave, and holding out a daintily-gloved
hand to her sullen companion, said sweetly, "Good-bye, Winnie. I trust
you will soon be better; and if I can possibly find leisure for another
visit, rest assured I shall drop in on you some day soon."

"Pray, don't," replied Winnie, wilfully disregarding her step-mother's
look of heavy displeasure. "Your visit has not afforded me such a vast
amount of pleasure that I could wish its repetition at an early date.
We never were friends, Ada" (with ungoverned passion), "never so long
as I can remember. You hate me, and I--I detest you; why, then, will
you persist in assuming a friendship that has no foundation?"

Dick's war-dance continued with greater vigour at this point, while
Mrs. Blake in haughtiest tones said to Winnie, "How dare you insult
Miss Irvine in this manner? Apologize at once, I command you."

Ada's face, as she turned it towards her hostess, wore a sweet, patient
look, with just the tiniest flicker of pain about the curves of the
perfect lips. "Please, do not blame Winnie too severely, Mrs. Blake,"
she pleaded mildly; "her words are to some extent true, but I--" and
the lids drooped slowly over the lovely eyes, while a faint flush
tinged the delicate cheeks--"I was trying to turn over a new leaf and
gain Winnie's love."

"My eye, what a cram!" muttered Dick from behind the door. "Oh, but
she acts the hypocrite capitally. Now then for Win's happy reply. It
will be both sweet and original, I prophesy, for the little monkey is
bristling all over like an insulted hedgehog. Here goes!" and the
boy's ear was once more applied cautiously to the keyhole.

Winnie had risen by this time, and was confronting her adversary with a
look almost capable of annihilating a less daring foe than Ada Irvine.
Quite undaunted by the fear of future punishment, and recognizing only
the great wrong this girl was doing her, she said, "I think you are a
female Judas, Ada, and your true character will come to light some day.
I know--" but Winnie got frightened at the awful look in Mrs. Blake's
eyes, and stopped short, while Ada took refuge in tears.

"Come away, my dear," said her hostess, leading her gently from the
room; "Winnie is not herself today. When the child is in a passion her
language is uncontrollable; but I shall see she sends you a proper
apology for her rudeness."

Dick heard no more, having to s